Spring bending machine



Nov. 20, 1951 L. MlKLlC 2,575,827

SPRING BENDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Nov. 20, 1951 L. MlKLlC 2,575,827

SPRING BENDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 f M L IN VENTOR.

Nov. 20, 195] Filed Jan. 5, 1951 L. MlKLlC SPRING BENDING MACHINE 3Sheets -Sheet s INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING BENDINGMACHINE Louis Miklic, Birmingham, Ala.

Application January 5, 1951, Serial No. 204,647

2 Claims. (Cl. 266-6) This invention relates to a spring bandingmachine. It has for its main objects to provide such a machine that willbe highly efficient for the purpose intended, simple in structure,comparatively cheap to manufacture, easy to operate, andextremelydurable.

The machine is especially intended for use in bending the type ofsprings used on automobiles and trucks and similar springs.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the drawings anddescription.

By referring generally to the drawings, a part of this application, itwill be observed that Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the assembled machinewith a spring leaf in position for being bent and formed; Fig. 2 is aview similar to Fig. 1 but showing the spring leaf in bent condition forbeing so formed; Fig. 3 is an end view of the assembled machine in twopositions, the full lines showing the machine at the start of anoperation and the broken lines showing the machine as it appears whensome of its parts are tilted for use in carrying out the operation; Fig.4 is an enlarged detail front view of the main air control valve of themachine; Fig. 5 is a top view of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a detail edge view ofpart of the link chains used in the machine structure; and Fig. 7 is atop view of Fig. 6.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the drawings in detail it Will be seen that the assembledmachine comprises an open top tank I that in use is nearly filled withspring tempering oil to line 45. Mounted on the top of the tank there isa frame 2 attached on shaft 3 and rockable in bearings 4 and 5. Twocylinders 6 and 1 are mounted upon the frame. A third cylinder 8 issupported on the lower back center portion of the tank. A regular threeway air valve 9 is mounted in front of the tank that controls compressedair from a source (not shown) through a pipe In. An air pipe ll leadsfrom the valve to cylinders 8 and I through a cross pipe 12 connected tothe ends I3 and I4 of the cylinders. A slidable frame i5 is mounted uponthe rockable frame. The pistons of the cylinders carried on the rockableframe have their ends 16 and I! attached to the slidable frame. A flatlink chain 18 is attached by its ends l9 and 20 to the ends 2| and 22 ofthe slidable frame. The center portion 23 of the link chain isattached'to a rod 24 inserted through a small bracket 25 on the slidableframe. A coil spring 26 is mounted upon the upper portion of the rodbetween the small bracket and an ad justing washer and nut 21 on the endof the rod. A cross member 28 of the rockable frame supports anadjustable scissors-type jack 39 and two adjustable supports 30 and 3|for a curved strip 32 attached at 33 and 34 to the frame. A linktypechain 35 is attached to the curved strip. A plurality of rods 36 areattached to and extend from the cross member 28 of the rockable frame.An air line 31 leads from the air valve 9 to the lower ends 38 and 39 ofthe cylinders mounted upon the rockable frame and the upper end '40 ofthe cylinder mounted at the rear of the tank. A stop member 4! isattached for contact with the bottom of the tank. The air valve iscontrolled by its handle 42 to regulate the flow of compressed air toand from the cylinders.

In operating the machine it is first necessary to adjust the link chain35 to the desired curve. Then a red hot spring leaf 43 is placed inposition as shown in Fig. 1 with the rockable frame assembly in its upposition as shown by full lines in Figs. 1 and 3. Then the air is turnedon and into the cylinders mounted on the rockable frame that has theends of the link chain l8 attached thereto, thereby causing the chain Hito make contact with the spring leaf 43 and bend it to the shape thereofshown in Fig. 2. When this operation occurs the rockable frame with thehot spring leaf supported thereon tilts by gravity to the position shownby the broken lines in Fig. 3.

In this position the hot spring leaf is submerged in the oil in the tankand is there retained for the required time for tempering thereof. Thenthe air pressure is changed by operating the air valve'to cause airthrough pipe line 31 to enter the lower ends 38 and 39 of the cylinderson the rockable frame and the upper end 49 of the cylinder 8 at the rearof the tank thereby causing the rockable frame to return to its upposition as plainly shown by the full lines in Fig. 3. The released airfrom the cylinders 6 and l escapes through the valve 9 and pipe 44, andthrough bottom end of cylinder 8.

From the foregoing it will appear that in order to use the machine a redhot spring leaf indi cated by 43 is placed in the position as shown byits full lines in Fig. 1, then air is turned into cylinders 6 and I at i3 and I4 causing the slidable frame IE to move to the position shown inFig. 2 causing the spring leaf to be held between the chains I8 and 35.The shift of weight causes the frame assembly to tilt and submerge thehot spring in the oil where it is held for some time for cooling. Thenthe air valve 9 is operated to cause the compressed air to entercylinders 6 and l at 38 and 39 and cylinder 8 at 40, causing the frameassembly to return to its up or approximately level position, thusreleasing the bent spring leaf for easy removal. ,In this movement theair in the cylinders that caused the tilting movement is re1easedthrough line H into-the 3 valve Sand out through pipe 44, the valvebeing a regular three-way valve adapted for manual operation by itshandle 42 to accomplish control of the compressed air leading into itthrough pipe I 0.

The various parts of the machine maybe made of any'material suitable forthe purpose, but I prefer to use metal, and flexible air lines wherenecessary. Also the parts may be made in different sizes and capacities,depending on where and how to be used, with especial reference to thesize of spring leaves being produced. I

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, I do not wish to limit same to the exact sizes and details ofstructure, but reserve the right to make all modifications and changesso long as they remain within the scope of the invention and thefollowing claims.

Having described my invention I claim:

a 1. A spring bending machine of the char-.

acter described comprising, a main approximately square tank with anopen top and adapted for retaining spring tempering oil, a frame mountedrockable upon the top of two opposite edges of the :walls of the tank,two elongated cylinders mounted upon said rockable frame, a slidableframe mounted upon said rockable frame, the piston rods of saidcylinders attached to said slidable frame, a cylinder attached inupright position adjacent the middle of one Wall of the tank with thelower end of the cylinder held rockable by its connection, the pistonrods of the, cylinders on the frame being connected to the slidableframe and the piston rod of the upright cylinder being connected to therockable frame, a curved member supported on the lower end portion ofthe rockable frame, said curved member having means to regulate thecurve thereof, said means consisting of a scissors-type jack andadjusting bolts or screws, a flat link chain attached by its ends tosaid curved memher, a similarflat link chain attached by its ends tosaid slidable frame, a plurality of supporting rods attached to the-saidlower end portion of the rockable frame, said rods being adapted tosupport a hot spring leaf in position for bending and forming thereof; athree-Way air valve supported adjacent the wall of the tank near thelower end portion of the rockable frame, air pipesleading from saidvalve to the two cylinders on the rockable frame and being adapted toconvey compressed air from an independent source through said valve tosaid two cylinders and operate the pistons thereof in outward movementto thus slide the slidable frame on the rockable frame and clamp a hotspring leaf between the said chain attached to the slidable frame andthe chain attached to the rockable frame and by weight of theshiftedparts cause the hot spring leaf to be submerged in chin the tank;additional air pipes leading from said valve to the top end of saidupright cylinder and the rod ends of said two cylinders on the rockableframe, said pipes being adapted to convey compressed air into saidcylinders to cause them by their piston rod connections to tempering oilcontained therein, said tank having an open top and formed approximatelysquare "in the tank, two cylinders mounted upon said rockable frame, aslidable frame mounted upon said rockable frame. the piston rods of saidcylinders attached to said slidable frame and adapted to slide sametoward the front of the tank and then retract same, a cylinder attachedin upright position adjacent the middle portion of the back wall of thetank with the lower end of the cylinder held rockable by its connection,the piston rods of a the cylinders on the rockable frame being connectedto the slid-j able frame and the piston rod of the upright cylinderbeing connected to. the rear edge of the rockable frame, a curvedmetalsubstantially flat member supported on the end portion of oil; saidfirstmentioned air tubes being adapted,

to convey released air from said two cylinders" return the rockable andslidable frames to positions occupied before the spring leaf wassubmerged in oil; said first mentioned air pipes being adapted to conveyreleased air from said two cylinders 'on the rockable fram'e'throughsaid valve and thereby be exhausted.

2. A spring bending machine of the character described comprising,-amain tank and'spring the rockable frame near the front wall of the tank,said curved member having means to regulate the degree of the curvethereof, said means consisting of a scissors-type jack and adjustingbolts and screws, a fiat link chainattached'by its ends to said curvedmember, a similar' flat link chain attached by its ends to said slidableframe, a plurality of supporting rods attached to the cross portion ofthe rock able frame near the front wall of the tank, said rods beingadapted for supporting a hot metal spring leaf in position for bendingand forming thereof between said flat link chains;.

a three-way air valve supported near the front. wall of the tank, saidvalve having a handle,

for manual operation thereof, metal and rubber air supply tubes leadingfrom said valve to the two cylinders on the rockable frame and beingadapted to convey compressed air from an independent source through saidvalve to said two" cylinders and operate the pistons thereof in"- frameon the rockable frame toward the front wall of the tank and clamp a hotmetal spring leaf between the said chain attached to the outwardmovement to thus slide the slidable slidable frame and the adjustablechain attached to the said curved metal member and by weight of theshifted parts cause same with the hot spring leaf thereon to besubmerged in the oil in the tank; additional metal and rubber air supplytubes leading from said valve to the top end of said upright cylinderand the rod ends of the said two cylinders on the rockable frame, saidtubes being adapted to convey compressed air into said cylinders andcause them by their piston rod connections to return the rockable andslidableframes to positions occupied before the spring leaf thereon wassubmerged in the LOUIS MIKLIC.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date

